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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Best Running Watch, including Garmin, Polar, & Suunto}}
This article is a concise guide to the best running watches available today at differing prices and functionality. As well as recommendations for the best watch, I also have a few that are worth considering in spite of their flaws, and some to avoid.
* The [[Garmin 310XT]] is great value for money and has all the features you're likely to need. (The [[Garmin 910XT]] has more features, but tends to be a little more pricy.)
* If the 310XT is too big and you want something more watch like, then the [[Garmin 610]] is great, and it's often available refurbished at a great price.
* The [[Garmin Epix]] has full color maps for navigation, something that's great when running in a strange town or out in the wilderness.
* For [[GPS accuracy]], the [[Polar V800]] is the best.
* The [[Garmin 920XT]] is the first of the Garmin watches to support downloadable apps using [[Connect IQ]]. This provides the type of extensibility you get with apps on a smartphone, and could be revolutionary.
* The [[Garmin 620]] is a lovely watch, but it's more expensive and you can't get your current pace from a [[Footpod]].
* I rather like the [[Suunto Ambit2 R]], which has some nice features at a reasonable price. The more expensive versions of the Ambit2 are worth considering, but I would avoid the updated Ambit3. (The biggest change with the Ambit3 is to use Bluetooth sensors rather than Ant+. At the current time there is far better sensor support for Ant+ than Bluetooth.)
* Consider using a [[Running With A Smartphone| Smartphone]]; if you already have one they are a cheap option and can have outstanding [[GPS Accuracy]].
=Watches for Ultrarunning=
Choosing a watch for an ultramarathon requires some tradeoffs and there's no simple answer. The main factor is battery life, and some runners will want navigation.
* The [[Garmin Epix]] has a display that shows full color maps, so for navigation, nothing else comes close. * The [[Garmin 310XT]], [[Garmin 910XT]], and [[Garmin Fenix 2]] will show an outline of your run and allow you to load a course outline to follow. The [[Garmin 920XT]] has a map will also displayan outline of your run, but Garmin has crippled the 920XT by removing the ability to zoom the display.
* The longest battery life that's available with good GPS is 24 hours with the [[Garmin 920XT]], or 20 hours for the [[Garmin 310XT]] and [[Garmin 910XT]]. If you need longer than 24 hours, which is common in 100 mile races, you end up with some compromises.
* You can turn off GPS and use a [[Footpod]], which boost the battery life of most Garmin watches to several days. Obviously you lose navigation and while the accuracy of a [[Footpod]] can be better than GPS, the Footpod does not do so well if you're taking [[Walking Breaks]] or running on twisty single track.
* Some watches can extend the battery life by only taking a GPS fix less frequently. This can be acceptable on a straight course like the Keys 100 or Badwater, but it can be appalling on twisty trails.
** The [[Garmin Epix]] gives 50 hours in extended mode, but it's GPS accuracy is lacking and the map display tends to eat the battery life.
** The [[Garmin 920XT]] gives 40 hours in extended mode, and it has some mapping capabilities, but the lack of zoom cripples this functionality.
** The [[Suunto Ambit2 R]] gives 25 hours in extended mode and the more expensive Ambit2 gives 50 hours. There is some map course display capability, but it's not as good as the 310/910others.
** The [[Polar V800]] gives 50 hours in extended mode, but has no map display.
** The [[Garmin Fenix 2]] will give 50 hours in extended mode, but it has mediocre [[GPS Accuracy]] even in normal mode and it has the occasional "lost satellite reception" problem.
* You can extend the battery life a little by avoiding using the backlight or changing the display. Showing the course outline or the map on the 310/910 seems to drain the battery quite fast. I've had 37+ hours out of the [[Suunto Ambit2 R]]with these tricks.
* Another option, depending on the race, is to have two watches and swap part way through.
* Some runners will recharge their watch during a race, but that seems to be more hassle than it's worth as you have to carry a battery pack and the cable. (You can't charge the [[Garmin 920XT]] while it's in use, but you can charge the [[Garmin 310XT]] and [[Garmin 910XT]].)
